Cryptography (kryptós means secret and graphein means to write) is the science and art of concealing data and information in an unreadable format so that only the intended person can read or use it. In other words, it is the study of secure communication that allows only the intended recipient and, of course, the message sender to view the message contents. Cryptography in cybersecurity entails the use of encryption and decryption algorithms. Converting the plain text (readable text) to cipher text (unreadable text) is called encryption, and reversing the process (cipher text to plain text) is called decryption. The effectiveness of cryptography depends on the robustness of the cryptographic algorithm & the size of the key.

• HOW CRYPTOGRPAHY IS RELATED TO BLOCKCHAIN?

TYPES

Certainly! Let's explore a real-life example where both symmetric and asymmetric cryptography are commonly used: online banking.

1. Symmetric Cryptography:

• Scenario: You want to securely transfer money from your bank account to a friend's account through an online banking platform.
• Usage:
  • When you log in to your online banking account, symmetric cryptography is often used to encrypt the communication between your computer (client) and the bank's server. The encryption ensures that your login credentials and other sensitive data are secure during transmission.
  • For the actual money transfer, a symmetric key might be used to encrypt the transaction details, providing a fast and efficient way to secure the transfer of a large amount of data.

2. Asymmetric Cryptography:

• Scenario: After logging in, you want to make sure that the transaction is secure and that only your friend can access the money.
• Usage:
  • Asymmetric cryptography comes into play during key exchange and digital signatures. When you initiate the money transfer, your friend's public key (which is publicly available) can be used to encrypt the transaction details. Only your friend, with the corresponding private key, can decrypt and access this information.
  • Additionally, digital signatures, created using your private key, can be attached to the transaction. Anyone with access to your friend's public key can verify that the transaction came from you and has not been tampered with during transit.

Hybrid Cryptography:

• Usage:
  • The combination of symmetric and asymmetric cryptography creates a secure and efficient system. Symmetric cryptography handles the bulk of the data encryption, while asymmetric cryptography is used for secure key exchange and digital signatures.

In this example, the use of both symmetric and asymmetric cryptography ensures a secure and reliable online banking experience. Symmetric cryptography provides efficiency in encrypting large amounts of data, while asymmetric cryptography addresses key exchange and digital signature requirements, enhancing overall security.